Monday, May 4, 2015

Happy Mother's Day Donnette!

I hope so. Donnette is truly a joy. And today I'm going to tell you some stuff about her.

The first time I met Donnette was in Spring of 2001. Joe and I were very newly dating after being friends/ skating around that issue for about 6 months. Her and her sister Charlotte were driving into College Station on a stopover at their other sister's house, Zee. I can't remember what all the plans were originally, but Donnette and Charlotte were in a car wreck during the trip. They still made it to Zee's and wanted us to come for dinner. Or maybe Joe just wanted to bring me. But probably the sisters did because Joe had never had a girlfriend and I'm sure there was some big time curiosity involved.

We showed up and realized the wreck was worse than we thought. Charlotte had the biggest, blackest eye I had ever seen and was laid up in a chair. (If Charlotte is EVER sitting down with her feet up you know something has gone terribly wrong). It wasn't until I saw her a couple months later that I could tell what she actually looked like. So even though I don't remember what Donnette's exact aches and pains were, she had to have been hurting SOMEWHERE. Instead, she had ordered Outback take out and was bustling around making sure I had everything I needed and was just as sweet as she could be. I have never forgotten how down to earth, kind and hospitable she was to me that first evening when she herself had just been through quite an ordeal.

A few weeks ago during our church's Sunday evening service, Seth taught on 1 Peter 4:9 "Show hospitality to one another without grumbling." As he explained what that looks like in many different scenarios, I thought of Donnette the entire time.

Donnette always has a servant's heart whether she is feeding all of Joe's college buddies, helping me move classrooms in my teaching days, or chasing after our kids. Whenever Joe and I were early married and would fly to her house for a holiday she ALWAYS invited my parents to unselfishly share in her visit. And no matter who you are, you will be made to feel like family in her presence. Not only have I experienced it, I have watched others do the same.

There was another message at church recently that goes along with the idea of hospitality that made me think of Donnette. (Donnette, are you feeling very spiritual right now? You should be) Our pastor Mike was teaching on the sin of partiality in James 2. The sin of partiality is a fancy way of saying that we should treat all people with honor and respect whether they are rich or poor, that we should show love and mercy not only to those people we like, but also those we don't.

And here's the thing about Donnette, she is kind to all, whether we are with her girlfriends back in Texas, in the medina in Morocco or at our church in Virginia. And really, kindness doesn't to it justice. Because whereas I, with my sinful heart, can put on a show with people I don't care for, and act nice, Donnette genuinely appreciates everyone and you can tell in the way she shows them respect.

So yes, Donnette, I have been watching you. You have been a godly example in these and many other ways and I pray that I can be as loving and gracious as you are to all people.